Introduction
QuickBooks from Intuit Corporation is the most widely used business accounting and management software by small and mid-size businesses. Since its introduction, QuickBooks has increased in popularity. However, the usefulness of QuickBooks depends on one key element – the accuracy of the information that the user inputs. Many small and mid-size business, which are the primary users of QuickBooks, are not getting full value from their investment of money and time because of data input errors. In accurate information in QuickBooks results in inaccurate reports being generated by QuickBooks. These bad reports can result in poor management decisions.

Usage Issues

Users of QuickBooks must confront three issues about their usage of the software. One relates to human nature; the second concerns typical business routines; the third is cautionary. In terms of human nature, various studies by software manufacturers and empirical research shows that once a user of a software product is proficient in a software package for the standard tasks, the learning stops. This is an understandable response to getting done what needs to and moving onto the next task. The demands of business also sidetrack a person’s ability to learn more than what is currently needed because of lack of time for experimentation and learning by doing. All too often, there just isn’t time and the priority isn’t there.

Finally, in most businesses, once data has been recorded it is treated very carefully, with limited access and back-ups. This is especially true with data and documents that are needed to keep track of business for practical, economic and legal reasons. Experimenting with this type of data and learning while doing is often actively discouraged, in case the actions could accidentally change the data or cause it to be erased. For these three reasons, many business owners are not receiving full value for their QuickBooks investment.

Many owners are not even aware of what additional management information may be available from QuickBooks because the person or persons at their business entering data about the product and services haven’t progressed beyond knowledge of the basics. The boss is likely to be operating under the same human nature issues, time constraints, and cautions that influence the employees are. Everyone becomes satisfied with the basics, not having the interest or time to do more than the basics. These three reasons also can lead to an unquestioning attitude of the correctness of the data in QuickBooks. Because people are not using the information to learn more and critically think about QuickBooks, there is no reason or opportunity to find errors in the data files.

The solution is to have the business owner obtain professional advice on 1) the use of the software (more of a technical issue), 2) obtain management consulting advice on what additional information and reports are available, and how these additional reports and information can be used to improve the business, 3) and perhaps the most important, determine the accuracy of the data that the owner uses for management decision making.The QuickBooks software is a tool for the effective running of a business. Like any tool, the software can be used on a basic level with the user never learning about the more complex but powerful capabilities. Or the user can investigate the software and develop into a skilled craftsman to fully utilize the tool.

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